New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) The central environment ministry Thursday ordered a probe into the gruesome incidents in which poachers chopped off the horns of live rhinos after shooting at them in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarjan has asked the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to conduct the investigation and submit the report within a week.
"I am shocked and distressed by the callous exploitation by unscrupulous poachers of the natural disaster of floods and of helpless animals fleeing to find safe shelter. I am determined to ensure that these criminals are brought to justice and that such incidents do not recur in future," she said.
The environment minister has also written to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi asking for all assistance in this regard and to prevent future incidents.
There have been two incidents of poachers shooting at rhino and chopping off their horn while they were still alive in the last two days in Kaziranga.
Both the rhinos are still alive and battling for life.
Gogoi said his government will get the rhino poaching incidents probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and announced a bounty of Rs.5 lakh for anyone who could help police and other investigating agencies with information about the poachers.
